Helical centrifugal separator



jaw, 28, WM.

- H. MCCURDY HELICAL CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR Filed NOV. 14, 1958 spection and cleaning.

1n Figs. 1 tral vortex tube I fixed and 2, this ramp is xed to a cento the basin i and the ramp 1 telescopes into and from the shell 2 in" duit 8 matches with the near end of a mouth cell 1-, rectly radial to the tube 8 and the near end of the tube on a tangent between the' continues to travel plementary, I2 in the face of the shell immediately opposite heavy fluid content l having a vertical. mouth plate I which is distands up from the lower or entry end 1e of the ramp 1 to the upper or off end 1o ofthe ramp, Fig. l.

The radial plate inlet tube so that the fluid pours from the inner and the outerlside lines of the lower end of the ramp and thence ows upwardly thereon directly against the wall of the shell for a full circle and, in the case of a single coil ramp. (Fig. 2,) when the fluid has completed itsrst turn at the top edge 1o of the ramp the fluid on in the same circular direction of rotation along the shell wall free of obstruction lor current interference. The whirl of the fluid casts the heavier parts outward and the lighter part is drawn or driven out of the outlet 4, as the nature of the use will pitch of the surface of from the axisof the determine. The down the ramp 1 as to the normal helix greatly aids in rolling or blowing the sediment on the ramp toward its perimeter and to get rid of this off-cast as soon as possible entirely along the rim of the ramp, which in Fig. 2 is a thin or plate body, there is provided a comhelical discharge groove or channel the contiguous edge of the thin helix or ramp 1. This channel opens from above the top of the ramp edge and discharges back into the shell chamber below the edge of the ramp so that the be caught for removal at will.

' channel i2.

I0 and near the post As there may be a tendency for the air below the ramp to rotate upward under the ramp there is provided, in the upper part ofthe mouth plate 8, outlet il for the upiiow of this air to vortical ports 8a at top of the tube 8. This outlet is well above the inflow mouth Ii, but it is to be observed that the current in each is of unidirectional motion. I

There is illustrated in Fig. 3, an adaptation of the invention for cleaning a travelling body of air, as for instance, passingto the intake or combustion motors. The shell 2a is here shown as downwardly flaring to give a favorable slant to its inner wall face thus increasing the rapidity is of more than one helix length and though the shell wall ares the transverse width of the top face of the ramp is preferably kept uniform; its inner edge or corner line following a central, conical post 8b. The wall of the shell has opposite the rim of the sheet-like ramp, a discharge as above mentioned, and which is of the helical length of the rst helix, and the shell vis also provided with a. separate helical channel I2a opposite the near edge of the next turn of the ramp; in this case the discharged cast-olf falls in an outer pocket I2b which opens at its lower end into the shell chamber below the channel l2. The ramp la provides a helical space of more than one full turn in the shell and the rotary motion of the moving air stream centrifugally throws oil the heavier dust portion.

To eifectvfurther cleaning of the air it cyclically engages the lower foraminous bed l5 of a suitable I0 has an opening Il lower face ofv the ramp spills toward the basin 5 to filter mass Il of any kind and illters up through this. mass to the outlet 4. The air inflows through the supply mouth plate I0 from a tangential or other intake connection. Here the ramp is of uniform pitch and decreasing radii.

Referring again to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the incoming fluid is given a complete circle of cyclonic whirl in the helical chamber over the ramp 1 to obtain the first centrifugal effect; then such fluid as may bend down into the channel I2 and reverse its flow over the rim of the ramp, imparts a second centrifugal action, the whirl of the fluid around and upward under4 the shelf has a further centrifugal action, and finally as the fluid tends to swirl with a vortical movement toward. the central outletports 8a of the vortex tube 8 additional centrifugal throw is produced. vThe upper end of the vortex tube l may be removably -but snugly ntted in the near lower end ofthe outlet tube l for ready removal of the ramp 1 vand its vortex tube l.

It is understood that according to the use of the separator, the ilow of the fluid stream may be in either direction along the helical-ramped passageway, and it is understood that the invention may be used for the separation of the heavier media from either gaseous or from liquid streams; whether the media is of liquid or solid, or gas from gas.

What is claimed is:

l. A centrifugal separator including a cylindrical shell having a smooth, unobstructed, inner, annular wall and having a helical ramp making a. helical passageway in the chamber of the having an upper terminal so disposed as to the radial wall that the fluid moves and merges harmoniously with the stream incoming at the said inlet in a helical ascent in the shell chamber.

2. A centrifugal separator including a vertical, cylindrical shell, presenting a smooth, unobstructed; inner peripheral wall, having a helical ramp therein of suitable length and making a helical passageway along the wall and forming a partition dividing the shell chamber into an upper, velocity-reducing, discharge spaceA and a lower still fluid and ejecta settlement basin, an outlet in the said upper space part of the shell chamber for fluid discharge, a fluid inlet means having a discharge end terminating in the shell space on a planel radial to the shell and above the upper face of the ramp for discharge of the stream into the shell chamber for flow along 'its wall; there being ahelical. ejecta escape aperture along and complementary to the margin of the ramp adjacent the shell wall and leading to the still space whereby the discharge of the ejecta to the basin is effected without up-,draft against its descent.

3. A separator having a cylindrical shell provided with a fluid inlet discharging into the shell on an axis normal to a radial plane of the shell and eccentric to the shell axis, a helical ramp in, and around the axis of, the shell; a removable basin under the ramp for cast-off material from the uid turning along the axis of the shell while moving along the ramp; the ramp being fixed to and removable with the basin and the rim of the ramp being spaced f :om the shell wall to provide for escape of the said material to the basin.

aaaaseo 3 .a sent-rimasi separator including a cylin dricai shell having a helical ramp extending innw *die imm a peint adjacent the inner wall surs i, 'l ramp seing of at least one pitch in length, and a vertical Wall extending inwardly he shell Wall in a radial plane connecting e.. ci 'the ramp coll and an upper non thereof at one full pitch from the point lo or start of the ramp, and an inlet tube terminat.

vided with a vertical, inner, cylindrical face, a

cal ramp about the axis of the said face and are en upper outflow passageway and a still theebelow and the rim of the ramp se still uid in the basin, and a fluid chamber and having the plane aimnarge end radial to the said face and te and above the lower end of the -i 3; to eect a unidirectional now of d ti; chamber above the ramp.

l gai, need-element type of separaand on a vertical axis in the r tor including a shell having a vertical, cylindrical chamber having an upper reduced velocity space with an outlet for owing iluid, a helical ramp for fluid to said chamber 'and Whose rim is spaced from the Wall of the chamber to form a con- 5 tinuous orifice thereat and said ramp forming a cover to a basin space in the shell and to which ejecta :from iiuid on the ramp is precipitated, an inlet means discharging into the shell space between the portions of the ramp forming its first l0 coil turn and on a line of discharge perpendicular to a radial plane from the chamber axis to effect a helical ilow on the ramp with the least commotion in the incoming stream, and means including a radially disposed barrier part belowrl the iirst turn of the ramp to stop rotation of the uid under the ramp.

8. A centrifugal separator including a cylindrical shell provided with an inlet tube having its discharge end in, and on a. plane radial 60.20 the shell, an outlet from the shell, and the shell having a helical element of at least one turn beginning at said discharge end to receive inflowing uid thereat and there being a. helical channel between the rim of said element and the shell 25 wall for gravitational discharge of cast-oil material from the upwardly flowing andl rotating stream on the said element, and the said shell having a still uid space below `the said element and into which the cast-oil material precipitates 30 without other resistance than that of the still fluid below the said element.

' HOWARD MCCURDY. 

